What Is the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)?
The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law enacted in 1990 that prohibits discrimination based on disability. Ensuring that your site and facility are in federal and state ADA compliance is extremely important. Renovations can trigger ADA compliance reviews, or if you just moved into a new building, you may want to check to make sure your new space meets the requirements of ADA compliance.
Areas Commonly Affected by ADA Requirements
Before you can be sure whether your building is compliant with ADA regulations and requirements, you must know which spaces are commonly affected. Various regulations outlined by the ADA were put in place to ensure spaces are more accessible to people with disabilities.
Construction and alterations to your facility can affect your compliance with ADA regulations. Any of the following can trigger ADA compliance review in your facility:
- Building new door frames that aren’t accessible or do not have the proper hardware installed
- Upgrading public or company bathrooms
- Installing water fountains
- Replacing flooring
- Installing or adjusting railings
- Building a parking lot/expanding a parking lot
- Rearranging the furniture in common areas or meeting rooms
It’s also a good idea if you’re moving into a new building to make sure you will be ADA compliant with an inspection/audit.
Standards for Accessible Design
There are several ADA standards that are necessary for your business or organization to follow. Ensuring that primary function areas are accessible for people with disabilities and complying with ADA standards for accessible entrances and paths of travel is important.
Here is the checklist for existing facilities that will ensure you are fully compliant with ADA:
- All public and company bathrooms are upgraded to be compliant with ADA standards for restrooms.
- Door frames are wide enough to allow for wheelchairs (the clear width of a door opening must be a minimum of 32″ and a maximum of 48″; measurement is taken between the face of the door and the stop of the frame with the door open 90 degrees).
- Accessible hardware is installed on all doors in your facility (e.g., handles, pulls, latches, locks, exit devices, and other operable parts must meet ADA requirements).
- Water fountains should be adjusted to better accommodate people with all disabilities, including people who use wheelchairs. (Wall-mounted drinking fountains should have a clear knee space of at least 27″ high, 30″ wide, and 17″ to 19″ deep. They should also have a minimum clear floor space of 30″ by 48″ for wheelchair accommodation).
- Any problematic flooring should be replaced (the best types of flooring for wheelchairs is hardwood, rubber for grip and comfort, and ceramic tile for durability).
- Handles and grab bars should be mounted appropriately. If it is mounted adjacent to a wall, the space between the wall and the grab bar must be at least 1.5″. The grab bars must be mounted between 33″ and 36″ above the floor.
- Accessible parking must be available, and spaces need to be at least 96″ wide and should have an adjacent access aisle.
- If stairs are required to get into any entrances in your building, entryway ramps must also be built. The requirements for ADA wheelchair ramps are that they must be a minimum of 36″ wide and have a maximum slope of 1:12.
- You may need to rearrange furniture and other features of your facility to reduce barriers to service for people with disabilities.
ADA Compliance Inspection/Audit
The best way to ensure your commercial facility is compliant with ADA regulations is through an ADA compliance inspection/audit. The Americans With Disabilities Act is a law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. It is our goal to ensure your building is compliant with the rules and regulations surrounding the ADA and that it properly accommodates people with disabilities.
Skilled Services has extensive knowledge regarding ADA compliance. Our team of experts knows how to make the upgrades and renovations that take your building from outdated and noncompliant to fully accessible and compliant with ADA regulations. These regulations change frequently, and we make sure to stay up to date so your business remains compliant.
We frequently provide the following upgrades for commercial facilities:
- Signage and Striping
- Surface Slopes
- Concrete Ramps
- Handrails
- Walkways and Landings
- Wheel Chair Lifts
- Elevators
ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Building and Facilities
Accessibility compliance refers to the changes you must make to your facility to make it accessible to those with disabilities.
This may include:
- Site Access. You must make sure that the main entrance is close to the designated accessible parking spaces and that it is easy to get safely from the parking lot to the building without obstacles (stairs, curbs, traffic, etc.).
- Entrances. There must be an entrance in the front of the facility specifically for those with disabilities.
- Hallways. The route from the entrance to the meeting location should be close and not blocked off by barriers. Elevators should be easily accessible if needed.
- Meeting Rooms. The aisles in meeting rooms should be wide enough to accommodate canes, walkers, wheelchairs, etc., and there must be accessible spaces in the meeting room for wheelchairs.
Essentially, accessibility is about making sure your entire site and the inside of your facility accommodate those with disabilities.
Our clients stick around for the long haul.
Many of our clients come to us for ADA compliance upgrades and continue to work with us for years to come.
ADA Bathroom Compliance Guidelines
A building’s restrooms must follow specific guidelines to remain ADA compliant. There are many regulations regarding measurements, accessibility, and signage in restrooms.
- Sinks and Faucets.Sinks and faucets cannot be mounted too high. Faucets must be lever operated, push, touch, or electronically controlled. People should be able to use one hand to operate the sink.
- Stalls. Accessible stalls should have grab bars and hang a maximum of 17″ from the floor, and flush valves shouldn’t require tight grasping.
- Doors. Doors should open with minimal force and have handles that are easy to grab.
Skilled Services is a trusted, reliable partner for ADA restroom compliance guidelines. We know exactly what an ADA compliant bathroom should look like, down to the precise measurements.
Make Sure You Are ADA Compliant With ADA Upgrades
If your business has recently received a complaint regarding ADA compliance and regulations, contact Skilled Services. We are experts on code compliance and ADA regulations, and we would be more than happy to do a full audit of your facility and get your business up to compliance. Whether you need a repair for compliance or just want an audit performed in your facility, Skilled Services is the partner to call for ADA upgrades and renovations.
